Too often we neglect the simple pleasures in life or take them for granted.
Sunday I plan to head to a beach with my wife where we shall fly kites.
Declare your simple pleasures to the (Sluggite part of) the world.

I have a weekend of simple pleasures planned. Tonight I'm off to play chess and get stoned, tomorrow I'll sit in the sun drinking beer, and on Sunday I'm off to the Vietnamese district to eat crispy duck. Bliss.

Skywatching. Since I moved to a house on the top of a hill with a massive view I must admit I'm as entranced by the sky as the view of the city, harbour and hills. The sky is so busy, with clouds and changing colours (we get a lot of weather in Wellington, and it is usually in a hurry). We also sometimes watch the night sky, although this is usually more fun in less city-ish environments. One night we sat in the dark with binoculars and found all four of Jupiter's big moons.

Also wildlife watching. Not the more cerebral identifying type of watching (though I like this too) but just the simple enjoyment of watching a duck, or a fish, or a squirrel, or a starling going about its own life.

The stars. Gods I miss the stars. Probably the thing I miss most about living in the country: the night sky. You wouldn't believe some of the auroras I've seen, the meteor showers I've watched, and during the summer, some of the lightning storms we get coming up from the south at night. Breathtaking doesn't even begin to cover it.

Sitting somewhere cozy with a book and something to drink. In the summer, outside in a decent lawn chair or rocker with a Dr. Pepper on ice. In the winter, in a giant foofy chair, or on my couch surrounded by pillows, with a cup of hot tea (English Breakfast or White). The book must be enthralling, but not necessarily a classic. A decent fantasy is best. And having hours ahead of me with nothing to do but enjoy the book.

Move all that to the bath and sub in a small snack for the drink, and this works, too.

That lovely feeling when you wake up just a little too early in the morning, and the sun hasn't come up yet, but the sky is a deep gray, and your pillows and covers have formed a little den around your body so that you're warm and comfy, and you are just awake enough to know that you can turn around and go back to sleep. Double plus points if there's someone next to you who shifts a little when you turn around, making a nook for you to rest your body in and leading to a half-asleep cuddle that drifts to dreamland.

Riding your bike on a crisp day, just cool enough to sting the cheeks as the wind whips you, and a toboggan is required to keep your ears from going numb. And your legs ache a little as you climb a hill, and you huff a bit, but the effort keeps you warm. Then, at the top of the hill, the bike angles downward and you fly past houses, and you squeeze the breaks just a little to convince yourself that you're in control, though really your fate is in gravity's hands.

Most of mine are simple. Must be from being easily contented. But board games with friends is a good one.

Oh I also like sitting on the couch and having my son climb up to cuddle in my lap, watching TV. In a couple more years he will be too old for that so I have to enjoy it while it lasts.

Peeing off of a high location.
Catching the peak of sunset while driving home from work, just when you come around the right turn.
Finding the exact right food to fix your craving.
Seeing a rerun of one of your favorite shows and it's one you haven't seen before.
Fire.
A down comforter on a cold night.
Having too much beer at a party (this is of course impossible, but having excess the next day is a wonderful thing, particularly compared to the contrary).
Finding money you forgot about (my mom always sticks a $20 in her coat pocket at the end of winter just to find it again when the season rolls around again).
Winning trivia night.
Being the only person on your trivia team to know an answer.
Fire.
Finding that CD that you really want to hear but haven't heard in years.
A new video game that doesn't disappoint.
A fantastic ending to a tale.
A comfortable recliner/couch.
Fire.
Being able to start a fire without having to use any accelerants (tinder only ma'am).
Someone else orders the pizza, and they make sure to omit all of the things that you don't like.
Liking a food that you always thought you hated.

And here's a nice semi-topical one to end with: The extra hour you get from the end of daylight savings time. It almost makes up for the hour you lose in the spring.

And oh yea: fire.

Snuggling my kitties.

Having the apartment to myself for a change.

Being able to sleep in, for as long as you want, and having absolutely nothing you -have- to do the next day.

Relaxing with a good book, be it old and beloved or new and shiny.

Having one of those rare meals where you can only sit back and chew in bliss, for someone cooked up some heavenly delight.

Fire.

Being in a small boat on the ocean. Even in rougher seas, I enjoy it. Thankfully if I get seasick, it's usually not too bad.

Scuba-diving and seeing this random sea turtle on the bottom giving you the strangest look.

Easily out-swimming my more athletic friends in a pool.

Taking down an enemy opponent with a clever stratagem when playing... pretty much any sort of game. I'm known for doing things that probably shouldn't work, but only because no one else is crazy enough to try.

Scaring the hell out of people by accident. At a young age, I taught myself to walk very quietly, and I'm the kind of person who naturally blends in with crowds. There's been a lot of times when I'd walk up behind a friend, they'd not hear me behind, and then I'd speak up to talk. Usually would cause them to jump. I've been threatened for someone to buy and put a bell on me, which I refused because then I'd look (and sound) like one of those bondage catboys you see at cons...

Seeing other people in pain. Schadenfreude. Mind you, this is 'physical, embarrassing but not really harmful' pain. I have to be in a really bad mood to be truly sadistic.

Teaching someone something and seeing their mind open up. Bonus points if said person goes on to further study and eventually comes back knowing more than I do.

Cats, especially kittens. A well-trained dog as well.

Mushroom hunting out in the woods with family, and finding a huge patch of morels.

A full day of football this Sunday, the entire day off, and makings for the deluxe nachos (tortilla chips, peppers, beef, onions, two kinds of cheese). One of these games will likely be watched with my wife, who actually does like football believe it or not (I blame it on the spandex pants, and the fact that she saw Ochocinco on DWTS shirtless). I probably won't even answer the phone tomorrow.

The Redskins beating the Cowboys. BLISS!!!

There is a certain amount of irony to be had, yes.

Cake. And parrots. And and also Ngau.

This is where Ngau gets to say, "Awww, how cu- waitaminute... Hey!"